More than a half dozen high school hoop teams from the Upstate will look to capture State Championship gold, later this week in the State Finals.
Seven teams from the immediate listening area won their Upper State round games and will take center stage at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.
Thursday slate
2PM 2A Girls- Landrum vs Atlantic Collegiate Academy The Landrum Girls decimated Andrew Jackson by 19 to take the Upper State Final. ACA downed Timberland by 9 in the Lower State Finals in Florence.
4PM 2A Boys High Point- Spartanburg vs Phillip Simmons. High Point has won well over 25 games this season. They downed American Leadership by double digits to advance to the Finals.
Then it's a Greenville High double feature in 5A Division 2. The Red Raider Girls will take on Berkeley at 6PM. they downed Gaffney by double digits in the Upper State Title Game Saturday night at Wofford. The Red Raider Boys are in the nightcap at 8PM taking on Westwood. Greenville outlasted Riverside in a competitive tilt Friday night at Wofford.
On Friday
2PM is the scheduled tip time for 3A Girls. The defending State Champs Walhalla look to make it back-back state titles. Standing in the way will be Kennan-Columbia. Keenan has a history of State Titles from the time current college star Milaysia Fulwiley played there. If Walhalla wins its the 1st time the school would have a back-to-back state title teams in Basketball in at least 50 years.
Walhalla has been tested in the postseason. They used a run down the stretch against Chapman to pull away. Then against St. Joseph's in the Upper State Title Game, Walhalla trailed by 1 going in the 4th. They outscored St. Joe's 15-7 in the final frame to win 60-53.
Friday 4PM- 3A Boys Christ Church will take on Fox Creek. The Cavs handled Mountain View Prep by double digits Friday night to move on the Finals. Christ Church is 25-1 on the season and they haven't lost since December 22nd. Christ Church looks for their 3rd State Title in 4 years.
Saturday 4PM- 4A Girls Westside vs North Augusta. This could be one of the best games of the bunch. These two teams have been the favorites all season long. Westside got an 11 point win over South Pointe Rock Hill to advance to the Finals. That came after they survived a scare at home in the 3rd round vs Camden. North Augusta has been every one of their playoff opponents by 30 or more. Their defense has been suffocating and has allowed less than 35 points in each of those games.
The rest of the finals are teams from outside our listening area. The schedule for those is below.
1A Girls Great Falls vs perennial title contender Military Magnet Saturday, Noon
1A Boys Saturday 2PM CA Johnson vs Bethune-Bowman. A lot of talk on social media about this one from the two fanbases. Johnson was dominant in their 30 point blowout win over Horse Creek in the Upper State Title Game. Bowman has survived and advanced in the last two rounds. I can't to see who wins this one and how many of those talking online will take their medicine, because obviously somebody has to lose.
Saturday 6PM 4A Boys- South Pointe Rock Hill vs North Augusta. Both teams are coming off blowout wins in the State Semifinal round.
Friday 6PM 5A Division I Girls- Blythewood vs Wando. Blythewood held off Mauldin in the Upper State Finals, Friday night.
Friday's nightcap at 8PM 5A DI Boys Ridge View vs Ashley Ridge. RV held off Byrnes and star Point Guard Colt Fowler in the Upper State Finals to move on. Ashley Ridge got a buzzer beater to advance over Cane Bay in Florence to win the Lower State Title.